Summary
In Illo Tempore, Septuagesima Sunday in the traditional calendar of the Roman Rite, marks a significant hinge in the liturgical year. The Church prepares its faithful for Lent through three pre-Lent Sundays: Quinquagesima (Fiftieth), Sexagesima (Sixtieth), and Septuagesima (Seventieth). These Sundays are not strictly numerical but represent an approximation within ordered bounds, corresponding to specific days before the Triduum. The Church does this with “decades,” a Latin term for decades of seven days each. For example, Septuagesima falls on the 63rd day before the Triduum and thus occurs within the seventh decade. The pre-Lent Sundays are retained in the traditional calendar as they provide an easing into Lent’s austerity. The Vetus Ordo calendar ensures that Lent does not sneak up unexpectedly, signaling its approach from First Vespers of Septuagesima onward. This is indicated by the end of Alleluia and the beginning of Tract, a more subdued form of chant used during Lent. These pre-Lent Sundays are abolished in the Novus Ordo, which has been criticized for this titanic loss. The traditional calendar retains these Sundays to prepare Catholics through a measured approach rather than abruptly entering Lent’s rigors unannounced. The movement and preparation of Easter dates require careful consideration since the date is determined by the paschal full moon following the Vernal Equinox. This means that Pre-Lent, with its three Sundays, varies from year to year but maintains consistency in its structure and signal to parishioners.
Key Topics
Septuagesima Sunday, Pre-Lent, Lent
